'Cyclone Aila' claims 11 lives in West Bengal

Kolkata, May 25 (ANI): At least eleven people have been killed across West Bengal by "Cyclone Aila".

High speed winds of 90 kmph lashed Kolkata and surrounding areas on Monday, uprooting over 80 trees across the city. Several vehicles were damaged and main thoroughfares were blocked by fallen trees.

Five persons have been killed in road accidents in Kolkata. Four were killed in South 24 Parganas, one person in Howrah and one in Bankura district.

Winds with a speed of 100 kmph lashed the coastal areas of East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas.

The army has been deployed in both South and North 24 Paraganas districts, where several rivers have breached their embankments to flood many villages.

'Cyclone Aila' is expected to hit the state within the hour with wind speeds of 100-120 kmh. Heavy rainfall up to 25 cm is expected in South and North Bengal.

According to Dr Gokul Chandra Debnath, Director, Regional Meteorological Centre, such cyclones are normal during the storm season, which come ahead of the monsoons.

Dr Debnath said the monsoons have arrived, ahead of time. Normally, monsoons arrive in Bengal only in the first week of June. By Ajitha Menon (ANI)